CHICAGO (Interstat) — In a game defined by a dominant first half and a frantic, foul-filled finish, the Illinois-Chicago Flames held off a furious second-half rally from the Drake Bulldogs to secure a 74-67 victory in Missouri Valley Conference men’s basketball action Saturday afternoon at UIC Pavilion.

A crowd of 1,274 saw the Flames improve to 9-10 overall, while Drake fell to an identical 9-10 mark. The result defied the national statistical projections, which had favored the visiting Bulldogs with a 71.2 percent probability to win.

The story of the game unfolded in two starkly different chapters. Illinois-Chicago, led by the explosive backcourt duo of Andy Johnson and Ahmad Henderson, controlled the opening period with efficient offense and disruptive defense. The Flames built a 34-22 halftime lead by capitalizing on Drake’s offensive struggles. The Bulldogs shot just 9 of 32 from 3-point range for the game and a concerning 10 of 18 from the free throw line, with many of those misses coming in the first half.

Johnson, a 6-foot-5 guard from Union, Kentucky, set the early tone, scoring 15 of his team-high 21 points before the break, including three first-half 3-pointers. His backcourt mate, the 5-foot-9 Chicago native Henderson, provided a critical spark off the bench, netting 20 points on 4-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc. The Flames’ defensive presence, anchored by Mekhi Lowery’s three blocks, stifled Drake’s interior game early.

The most important part of the game, however, was the dramatic second-half surge by Drake and Illinois-Chicago’s resilient response. The Bulldogs, led by the spectacular individual effort of guard Jalen Quinn, roared out of the locker room. Quinn, a junior from Tuscola, Illinois, scored 22 of his game-high 28 points in the second half, attacking the rim and drawing fouls to will his team back into contention. His driving layup with just over 16 minutes remaining capped a personal run that brought Drake within single digits.

Drake’s offensive rating, a measly 95.0 for the game on 71 possessions, belied their second-half efficiency as they poured in 45 points. Eli Shetlar added 13 points and four assists for the Bulldogs, while Owen Larson chipped in nine points. The Bulldogs clawed to within four points on multiple occasions in the final seven minutes, the last time at 61-57 following a Shetlar 3-pointer with 5:12 to play.

Each time Drake threatened, Illinois-Chicago answered at the free throw line. The Flames attempted 38 free throws, making 24, compared to Drake’s 18 attempts. In the game’s final, chaotic two minutes, the Flames sealed the victory by converting 9 of 12 attempts from the charity stripe. The closing sequence was a blur of stoppages, with the two teams combining for 19 fouls in the second half alone.

After Quinn’s 3-pointer brought Drake to 67-69 with 37 seconds left, the Flames’ composure proved decisive. Henderson and Rashund Washington Jr. sank crucial free throws, and a key alley-oop from Elijah Crawford to Lowery with 52 seconds left provided a critical basket. Crawford finished with six points and a game-high six assists, expertly managing the offense down the stretch.

Despite being outshot from the field — UIC made 20 of 51 attempts while Drake made 24 of 59 — the Flames won the battle of efficiency, posting an offensive rating of 110.4 on 67 possessions. They also outrebounded Drake 10-5 on the offensive glass, leading to 12 second-chance points.

The game’s total points, 141, went under the betting over/under line of 138.5.

Drake will look to rebound when they host Murray State on Wednesday. Illinois-Chicago continues its homestand Tuesday against Evansville. The two teams are scheduled for a rematch in Des Moines on Feb. 12.